The Great Dwarven Wars
by JFeg
Summary: Ten years after the defeat of Alduin, the World-Eater, an event unlike no other since the First Era occurred. Now, three of Tamriel's most legendary heroes must team up to defeat this menace.
1. The Beginning

Ten years after the defeat of Alduin, the World-Eater, an event unlike no other since the First Era occurred. But, to fully understand the depth of the matter, we must go back, thousands of years.

~~~~~~~1E 700~~~~~~~

Indoril Nerevar and Dumac Dwarf-king stood facing each other, on the Peak of Red Mountain. Behind him, Nerevar had Almalexia, Sotha Sil, Vivec and Dagoth-Ur. Behind him, Dumac had Kagrenac, High Craftlord of the Dwemer. Nerevar readied his staff and magic, and Dumac had a Dwarven battleaxe. Nerevar cast a fireball at Dumac, and Dumac swung at Nerevar, crippling his magic-wielding hand. Nerevar swung his staff, catching Dumac square in the jaw. Dumac swung, and missed, giving Vivec an opportunity to throw an Elven dagger towards Nerevar. Catching it, Nerevar stabbed Dumac in his throat and slashed his head off. Nerevar, enraged at the battle with his long-time friend, cast a spell like no other over Tamriel, and the Dwemer disappeared.

~~~~~~~4E 211~~~~~~~

The Dovahkiin, Hulgar Greatwind, returned to Solitude after a day of hunting dragons. His once golden, unkempt hair was now short cropped and silver. His wife, Ysolda and children, Hroar and Lucia, were glad to see him. After a day of rest, however, a courier from Markarth arrived at Proudspire Manor with and urgent letter from the Jarl. It read as follows:

"Hulgar Greatwind,

We, the people of Markarth, require your assistance. And, you may find the threat more challenging than a pack of Madanach's damned Forsworn. It's an army. Of things only dreamt about. It's the Dwarves, they've retur…" (the rest of the page is smeared with blood).

Hulgar directs the tired courier to the Winking Skeever, the local inn. He changes into his Daedric armor, grabs his Dragonbone Bow and Arrows, and his signature Dragonbone Mace and Daedric shield. Kissing his wife and children goodbye, he rushed to the stables and retrieved Shadowmere, his horse, which no one but himself knew its origins, and set off for Markarth.

When he arrived, the city walls were all but gone and the stables were burning. Suddenly, at least ten blue skinned elves, not as dark as Dunmer but much lighter, attacked him. _**"FUS RO DAH!" "YOL TOOR SHUL!" **_Three went flying, four were burnt and the rest were decapitated. An arrow whizzed by his ear. Pulling out his bow, Hulgar searched for the shooter and impaled him with three arrows at once. Approximately two hours later, after having the remnants of the city guards fight off the attackers, Hulgar reached Understone Keep.

"By Talos, what happened!?" he exclaimed. The attackers were murdering everyone in the halls, and shouting "This is _OUR_ city, be gone!" Fighting through the Keep, he found the Jarl's housecarl, Yngvar the Singer and asked what had happened.

"The Dwarves! They stormed the city claiming it was theirs! They killed everyone! You must… Agghh!" A Dwarven Arrow had pierced his throat. However, Hulgar knew what he had to do. Taking three guards with him, they fought their way to Nchuand-Zel, the Dwarven ruin beneath Markarth. There, he did what his only option was; set fire to the main boiler. _**"WULD NA KEST!"**_ he shouted as he ran from the city and leapt onto Shadowmere, as he sped towards Solitude. As he rode, the city behind him burst into flames.


	2. The Binding

Hulgar sped into the gates of Solitude. He gathered his family from Proudspire Manor and explained the situation. Due to the cities close proximity to Markarth, he sent his family off to Hjerim, his house in Windhelm. As Hulgar and Shadowmere rode to Windhelm, he saw countless Dwarves and Falmer heading in Markarth's direction. Killing countless amounts, he and Shadowmere arrived in Windhelm three days later. Arriving, he rushed to Hjerim and saw his family safe and sound.

The next day, he was wandering the docks when suddenly; a ship carrying a lone Dunmer arrived, with many riches and exotic herbs aboard. Leaping off the ship, the man drew an odd looking katana and pointed it at Hulgar.

"Who are you?" The man asked.

"I should ask the same of you." Hulgar responded calmly.

"I am Thadas Llaram, although you may know me as Nerevarine, the Nerevar Incarnate. What year is it, if I may ask?"

"211 of the Fourth Era," Hulgar responded.

"What! Who is the High King of Skyrim, the Councilor of House Hlallu or the Emperor of the Septim Dynasty?" Thadas roared.

"The High King is Ulfric Stormcloak, as for House Hlallu, it was disbanded at the end of the Third Era, and the Septim Dynasty ended then as well, leaving no Emperor until Titus Mede I took control of the Empire," He responded, slightly confused.

"By the Gods, what happened?" asked the Nerevarine.

Hulgar explained what had happened, starting with the Oblivion Crisis and ending with the Great War.

When the Nerevarine was about to speak, someone said "Did I hear my name?"

Turning, Hulgar saw Sheogorath, Daedric Prince of Madness himself.

"What?" Hulgar said.

"Oh, you haven't heard the stories, have you, laddy? You see, at the end of an Era, a Greymarch occurs in my realm, and I pass my essence on to a mortal, in this case, it was the Champion of Cyrodiil."

As he said that, he transformed into a young man, wearing Imperial Dragon Armor.

"Ah! Finally free! My alter ego tells me that the world needs saving… again!" The man said.

"Who are you?" Asked an extremely confused Hulgar.

"Oh, allow me to introduce myself, I am Arenar Sosia, Hero of Kvatch, Seventh Champion of Cyrodiil and most importantly, Madgod! So, what requires attention?"

After explaining the current situation to the two heroes, Thadas let loose a cry of despair that some say was heard in Daggerfall!

"By the gods, it's gone, all of it gone!" Thadas cried. "Hlallu has fallen, the Septim Dynasty defunct and the return of the Dwemer! It was written in the lost prophecy about the return! After the fall of the World-Eater, the lost race will thrive and slaughter the populace like cattle!"

"You mentioned Alduin? He is somehow connected to this? There are only two men in Tamriel who can help us. Follow me!" Hulgar cried.


	3. The Preperations

"Farengar!" Hulgar shouted "Farengar!"

"Farengar has made his way to Shearpoint," said the Jarl's steward Olfina.

"Fine. Olfina, can you arrange for a caravan to Shearpoint?" Inquired Hulgar.

"Of course only a mome…"

"Hold on! I have returned! And I brought a friend!" Farengar roared.

As guards went to assist Farengar, another man stumbled through the door. It was Calmeco, First and foremost expert on the Dwemer in all of Tamriel.

"By the gods!" Hulgar exclaimed.

After explaining the predicament and introducing his colleagues, Hulgar asked the two older men for help.

"We'll see what we can do," the two men responded.

A week later, the Stormcloaks had sent many soldiers to Markarth in hopes of driving out the Dwarves. On the day of their retreat, Hulgar was called in to Farengar's office. When he arrived, a scroll was on the desk.

Farengar simply said "Open it."

And now, you and your brethren will forever live in my realm as long as long as your debt to me is not returned, or until my death.

Translated:

And now, you and your brethren will forever live in my realm as long as long as your debt to me is not returned, or until my death.

"By the gods, that is Alduin's script!" Hulgar exclaimed.

"I'm afraid it is," Farengar said, "and Calmeco has a theory."

"You see, when the Dwemer disappeared, they didn't 'disappear,' but were 'relocated,' as in, to a Plane of Oblivion. And that Plane, I suspect, was created by Alduin himself. So, after his defeat, the Plane collapsed, and the Dwemer were freed. It appears as though they had to travel through other Planes to arrive to Mundus, perhaps the Shivering Isles or Coldharbour, we may never know. So, long story short, you defeating Alduin has opened Tamriel up for a Dwarven invasion."

"So this is _my_ fault," Hulgar inquired.

"Yes, quite so," Calmeco replied. "However, the realm appears to have been losing power since about 220 years ago."

"No, it cannot be," Said Thadas for the first time. "The Heart of Lorkhan and the fall of the Three. Were they mentioned anywhere?"

"Actually the 'Heart of Power' was mentioned in here. I believe it said a sacrifice of its essence was required for the realm to be conceived," Farengar said suspiciously.

"Wait, where did you get this inscription?" inquired Arenar, speaking for the first time.

"Ah yes, you see, Hulgar graciously offered an inscription of Alduin's Wall from Sky Haven Temple. I found this on one of the last pages," replied Farengar. "However, there were some missing inscriptions."

"Then the secret is on Alduin's Wall," Hulgar said. "Let's move!"


	4. The Temple

"You! Stop!" yelled a sentinel.

_Snick!_ A crossbow bolt in between the eyes.

"The Madmen of the Reach. The Forsworn. Watch yourselves. They're everywhere," Hulgar explained.

"What is this place?" Thadas inquired.

"Sky Haven Temple," was Hulgar's response.

"Impressive," was Arenar's response.

"Yes, I know, I actually have a few friends… NO!" Hulgar screamed.

Lying face down in a pool of blood was Delphine, and next to her were Esbern, Jordis, and Iona. There was a clash from down the hall, and the pair turned the corner just in time to see Teldryn Sero, a Dunmer from Solstheim, decapitate a Dwarf. However, he was losing blood quickly and he was grasping a stump of his left arm, which lay in the far corner.

"Hulgar… help," Teldryn pleaded before stumbling and falling.

Reaching for him, Thadas felt for the man's pulse. "Dead… I am sorry Hulgar."

"How… wait a minute!" Hulgar marched over to a piece of paper on the floor. It had a signature he hoped he would never see again. In fine handwriting was a wicked name… "Elenwen," he scowled. "Impossible! She was wiped out with the rest of the Thalmor years ago when Ulfric and I marched on Alinor!"

"There was a march on Alinor! When?" demanded Arenar.

"About 5 years ago," was the reply of Hulgar.

"Ha, good. Did you see Mannimarco there, by any chance? Oh wait… I killed him, didn't I? No wait, what's happenin… Ah! That's enough talking for now, little Arenar. Now where were we… oh yes!" Sheogorath said after his transformation.

"What just happened?" Thadas inquired.

"Well would you rather have a noble warrior or a Daedric Prince with the Wabbajack on your side?" Sheogorath retorted.

"But I have the Wabbajack," Hulgar said.

"I'd check again, if I were you. Now, onto Alduin's Wall!" the Prince of Madness said.


	5. The Secrets of the Wall

"What is this," Thadas asked.

"Well, laddie, you may have travelled throughout Nirn, but you've never seen Alduin's Wall!" Sheogorath exclaimed.

"Ah, but I am not a bipolar lunatic!"

"To the Shivering Isles Dungeon with ya! Fun fact, I built it by hand with Haskill a century ago. Before that, we would send convicts to random ruins! How barbaric! So, where was I? Oh yes! Thadas Llaram, I condemn you to the Shivering…"

"Enough! Out of both of you!" Hulgar roared. "We came here on a mission and I intend to complete it!"

"Well, you need three artifacts, you know," Sheogorath said.

"No, I don't know that. Why did you not bring this up before!?" Hulgar bellowed

"Because I have them right here. Now let's see… the Star, yes I've got it… the Gold Blade, yes… and the Black Blade! Ah good they're all here! Now, let's do this!" Sheogorath said as he pulled the Ebony Blade, Goldbrand and Azura's Star from his pocket.

"But… I had those…" Hulgar said.

"Now what?" Thadas asked.

"Now, watch!"

Thadas and Hulgar watched as Sheogorath inserted the Dunmeri gods' artifacts into the wall, and a gate opened.

"Now then, let's go!" Sheogorath yelled after them.

They were barley through the gate when the Dremora swarmed them.

"You never disturb a man who's doing the fishstick. NEVER!" Sheogorath cried as they all transformed into dragons, then trolls, then bears, then wolves and finally, bunnies. "Whoo, you never know with the Wabbajack, eh?"

"Wait, what is this?" Thadas said as he picked up a bent piece of metal.

"There are engravings on them," Thadas noted

"Allow me! Now let's see… 'I Dumac Dwarfking do proclaim that in the event of my untimely death, my people shall be transported to your realm, Dragonmoor, ruled by you, Alduin, the World-Eater. In exchange for the safety of my people, I offer my soul to you in life and death.' Signed Dumac Dwarfking. Well… this adds an interesting layer of depth to our problem doesn't it?" Sheogorath said, all seemingly in one breath.

"So, when I defeated Alduin, I released the Dwarves…"

"And, they intend to take back what was rightfully theirs." Thadas concluded.

"Now, we must… Aghhh! Finally free again!" Yelled Arenar.

"So, we must banish the Dwarves back to Oblivion, if we wish to succeed. But, it is impossible due to the Imperial City's Dragon." Hulgar said.

"I have an idea," said Arenar.


	6. The Brotherhood

"Why in Oblivion would we go to the Imperial City?!" Hulgar cried.

"You will see when we get there," Arenar responded.

It took them three days to reach the Imperial City, with one stop in Dawnstar.

"LISTENER!" The cry rang through the halls of the Sanctuary.

"Hello, Cicero," Hulgar greeted the madman.

"What does the Listener require of humble Cicer…by SITHIS! It's him! The old Listener from Cyrodiil! Cicero must allow you to see Mother! Come quickly, now," Cicero said, grabbing Arenar.

"How did you know about me?" Arenar inquired.

"Oh, the friendly ghost told humble Cicero all about you!" Cicero squealed.

"Ghost! Where?" Arenar screamed.

"Oh, new Listener, show him! Please!" Cicero pleaded.

"Fine," Hulgar said. Gathering his strength, he summoned the Spectral Assassin, Lucien Lachance.

Arenar's jaw dropped. "Lucien, i-i-is that you?"

"Who said that? No one has called me that in over 200… oh Sithis! Arenar! I have heard that you were Listener, _and_ you avenged my death! Well done!" Lucien said, obviously in shock.

"Haha! So, you're the ghost! Wow! I never thought I'd…aghhhhh… Hello lads! Oh, who are these two? Wait, Lucien? And, you, little jester, who are you?" Sheogorath asked.

"By Sithis, it's you… Sheogorath himself!" Cicero squealed in delight.

"Sithis, the rumors were true! You really are Sheogorath!" Lucien gasped.

"Did ya expect anything else, lad? Now, off to Cyrodiil are we? Hold on…Haskill!" Sheogorath said as he clapped twice.

"Yes, milord?" came a new, rather dull sounding, voice. One of an old, balding man who was well dressed, but had a tint of madness in his eyes.

"We are going to Cyrodiil! Pack your things, sonny!"

It took them three days to reach the Imperial City. By the time they got there, Arenar was not having a fit of madness, thank the gods.

"Oh!" Cicero squealed. "See that alley? That is the alley that _I_, Cicero, killed the Grand Champion!" Arenar looked stunned, to which Cicero said, "don't worry, Lord Sheogorath, not you, never you!"

"Uh, Cicero," Hulgar whispered, "try and keep your murderous tendencies to yours…"

"Ha!" Cicero gasped. "A sweetroll stand! Cicero _LOVES _sweetrolls!" the jester exclaimed before running off.

`"Remind me again, why we took the babbling jester," Thadas said.

"So when Arenar has a '_fit,_' he looks sane next to Cicero.

"Ah, but that's where you are wrong!" came a familiar, unsettling voice from behind them.

Turning, the duo saw Sheogorath in the middle of the newly renamed Talos Plaza district. (It was called Aldmeri Plaza after the Great War until the siege of Alinor.) Everyone was staring at him. Just then, Cicero returned.

"Lord Sheogorath! I...wait, they know too much. I will kill in the name of Sheogorath!" He squealed, as he produced a dagger from under his cloak. The Imperial Guard promptly tackled him.

Suddenly, a voice said "Leave him! He is my deranged cousin! I am taking him to an asylum in Leyawiin!"

Turning, they saw a hooded, Imperial man calling from the crowd.

"As you wish, sir. However, if he kills someone, it is your head on the block, understand?"

"Yes sir," the man responded, as he beckoned for the group to follow him into the alley he approached from.

"Who are ye, laddie? Tell me, or I'll pluck your eyeballs out!" Sheogorath yelled.

"Ah, I see you do not recognize me, Arenar. As for the rest of you, allow me to introduce myself. My name is Martin, Martin Septim."


	7. The Surprise and A Loss

"Martin…Martin? No, I don't know a…oh! MARTIN!" Sheogorath screamed and tackled his friend.

"Wait, _the _Martin Septim? The one who sacrificed himself to stop the Oblivion Crisis?" Hulgar asked.

"Yes, the one and same. I assume you are wondering what happened to me?"

"Of course," Hulgar said.

"Well, after the Oblivion Crisis, I was 'killed,' but in reality, my soul and physical form were trapped in a crown gem, the Imperial Diamond, which Potentate Ocato carried with him until his assassination by the Thalmor. Then, the Diamond was stolen by the Thalmor and taken to Alinor. Years passed, and then, a new hand touched the Diamond, a Redguard. When the Redguard died, a part of the Diamond cracked, freeing me. However, I was no longer nobility. Instead I was a beggar who stayed in an alley behind the Temple of the One. When I saw Aren…er, Sheogorath, I followed you. That is when I found you and that…jester," Martin explained.

Just as he finished, Cicero came bounding into the alley, muttering something about a beautiful sweetroll that rolled on the ground, as he stabbed it. "Oh, hooded stranger, you saved me!" he squealed and bounded towards Martin.

"Jesters are not worthy to tou… aghhhhh! Martin!" Arenar exclaimed after he transformed.

"Does this happen often?" Martin asked. Thadas only nodded.

"Now, where are you taking humble Cicero next? To Cheydinhal? Leyawiin? Anvil? What about New Kvatch?" Cicero asked in delight.

"Dawnstar," Hulgar responded.

"WHAT!? CICERO WANTS TO EXPLORE… Cyrodiil… I am sorry listeners," he muttered as the jester backed away.

"Now, Arenar, if you could let go that would be great…" Martin said.

"Oh. Of course, I am sorry, Lord," Arenar said.

"I am no one's Lord, now please, tell me friend, what brings you to the city?" Martin inquired.

"Well, we came here to open a portal to Oblivion. You see, the Dwarves have returned." Arenar explained.

"What? How?" Martin asked the group.

"It apparently has something to do with Hulgar slaying a dragon, Alduin, I think it was," Thadas said.

The group walked with Martin, explaining the story. He was quiet when they finished.

"Martin, are you alright?" Arenar asked his friend.

"Yes… it's just… I had a vision of a Dwarf, in a ruin, but I know the ruin… Sancre Tor…" he said before he fainted.

"What is he talking about?" snapped Thadas.

"Well, whatever it is, we have to go to Sancre Tor to find out," Hulgar said.

They reached Sancre Tor twelve hours later, as it took Martin nine to awake. When they arrived, they were greeted by skeletons and zombies, which they dispatched of quickly.

"I've never seen those things. What are they?" Hulgar asked.

"Zombies. That is Cyrodillic for Draugr," Arenar explained.

"Well then, inside we go!" Hulgar said as he kicked the door in, only to be greeted by whizzing sounds and Arenar falling to the ground.

"NO!" Thadas cried, as he shot fire into the doorway, having five crossbow-wielding Dwarves fall as Hulgar killed the rest of them, leaving ten dead.

"Leave me, I will be fine," Arenar whispered.

"No," Thadas said, tears streaming down his eyes. "We may have fought occasionally, but we were brothers in war together."

"Leave, now," Arenar said, as his body fell limp.

"No. NOOOOOO!" Thadas cried.

"Thadas, come, we will avenge him," Hulgar said.

"Damn right, we will! Come on!"

They cleared the ruins in half an hour.

"Now to find the bastard in charge!" Thadas exclaimed, picking up a key from a Dwarf as he swung open a door in the back room of the dungeon.

"Ah, hello, _heroes_," they heard a voice say. Thy turned around and Thadas stumbled.

"Impossible," was all he could say, for in front of them was a Dwarf, using Keening, Sunder and Wraithguard on the Heart of Lorkhan.


	8. The Plans

"What was that...? WHAT!? How did _you_ get in _here_!?" the Dwarf screamed.

"I-i-i-impossible," Thadas managed to utter.

"What? Oh this, The Heart? Ah yes, you are the Nerevarine, are you not? You thought you destroyed The Heart, correct? Well, you were wrong. Also, you never killed Almalexia, Sotha Sil didn't die and Vivec _did _disappear, but he _didn't_ die," the Dwarf explained.

"W-w-w-WHAT!?" Thadas shrieked as he charged at the Dwarf. Suddenly, Thadas and Hulgar were stopped where they stood, unable to move.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot my manners. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Kagrenac, Chief Tonal Architect of the Dwemer people," Kagrenac said. "I believe you have heard of me?"

"Impossible," Thadas spat. "I heard Almalexia's scream of anguish after I defeated her. I felt The Heart dissolve, I saw Dagoth Ur disperse into dust. _I saw it!_" he screamed.

"Ah, but did you? That is the real question, Serjo. Did _you _see it…"

_THUNK_

An arrow hit Kagrenac between the eyes, and Thadas and Hulgar were released from the spell.

"My friends, what happened?" Martin asked as a band of men entered the room.

"Wha… Who are these people?" Hulgar asked.

"This is the Band of the Dragon, a personal army I have composed of men from the Imperial City. I told them what happened, and showed proof that I am truly Martin Septim. I also brought a friend," Martin explained.

"LISTENER! Oh joy, I feared the worst, especially after I saw poor Old Listener's body outside…" Cicero mumbled.

"Yes, we saw Arenar's body outside…" Martin mumbled solemnly.

"Martin, I am sorry," Hulgar said "but, we must search the lair for any intelligence we could use."

"Yes, you are right;" Martin said "we must mourn later. Delius!"

"Yes, sir!" The man named Delius said, as he stood up straight.

"Take Ciallo and Coloni and arrange for Arenar's body to be buried."

"Yes, sir!"

"Now then, have you found anything, men?" Martin enquired

"We found a key on the Dwarf's body," one man said. "Nothing is opening, though."

_CRASH!_

"I found something," Thadas said.

At his feet was a shattered safe, its one content, a scrap of paper, intact.

"What does it say?" Hulgar asked as Martin read the letter.

_Lord Kagrenac the Magecrafter,_

_ Everything is in place. The army is at its full strength and Markarth is ours. We are ready. It is time to move your forces north into Skyrim, and try to get to the center. We are surrounding Whiterun. Your part in the capture of Falkreath is essential. You mustn't fail. The fate of the Dwemer people rest in your hands._

_ Yours Truly,_

_ Dumac Dwarfking_


	9. The War's Start

"Forces? What forces?" Thadas inquired to himself. Just then, a large clanging was heard and the ground rumbled.

"Hulgar, over here!" Martin shouted. "What in Oblivion…"

A large pit had opened up, right in the middle of Sancre Tor, and thousands of metal coffins lay below. Hulgar jumped down and opened one up. Steam hissing, he stabbed his Daedric sword into the coffin and pulled out the shell of a Dwarven Sphere. Thadas jumped down and joined him.

"Hulgar, come here!" Thadas called. In front of him was a metal coffin. However, the front was clear and inside was…

"A Dwarf?" Hulgar asked Thadas.

"It appears that way. Come on, help me open it," Thadas said.

Once it was open, the Dwarf's eyes sprang open and he jabbed his arm forward into Thadas' chest. It wasn't until his arm retreated that the blood started oozing out of a small wound.

Thadas conjured fire and struck the Dwarf with it as he crumpled in a ball to the ground.

"Thadas!" Hulgar roared.

"What happened?" Martin asked from above the pit.

"Thadas was stabbed!" Hulgar responded.

"What? I'm sending a healer down now!"

After about 20 minutes of healing from a healer, Thadas was up on his feet again.

"Now, what shall we do, Hulgar?" Thadas asked his friend.

"I've no idea, but Martin is working on an explosive that will blow Sancre Tor to bits. You don't happen to carry some Netch leather and ash from Red Mountain on you, do you?"

"No sorry," Thadas replied.

"Then we will have to make a pilgrimage, Thadas," Hulgar said.

They returned a week later.

"I suspect you have the needed ingredients," Martin said.

"Yes, we have 20 of each," Hulgar replied.

"Good job, we have everything else set up."

"Ah, nothing like a good explosion of fire, eh?" Thadas asked.

Sancre Tor was destroyed within seconds of Thadas igniting a flame.

"HAHA!" Thadas yelled. "THAT'S THE LAST OF THEM!"

"Yes, but we need to get to Whiterun, alert the Jarl of the Dwarven plans, and prepare for battle," Martin said.


End file.
